CES 2025: BMW Neue Klasse Panoramic iDrive previews German brand’s next-gen cabin

BMW has taken a new inside-out approach to revealing its next-generation Neue Klasse (new class) family of EVs following the reveal of the near-production-ready Panoramic iDrive cabin design.

Unveiled at Las Vegas’ Consumer Electronics Show (CES), the first car to feature the advanced BMW Panoramic iDrive tech will be the Neue Class X electric SUV that is due to be unwrapped later this year.

Consisting of four different elements, the new Panoramic iDrive gets a slim widescreen strip that stretches across the entire width of the dash.

Displaying key information that includes a speedo, the owner has the choice of displaying a further customisable six ‘particle’ slots.

To the right of the steering wheel is a more conventional angled touchscreen that is said to run BMW’s latest Operating System X software.

Developed using Android platform, OS X has been heralded as a step change over the OS 9 it replaces.

The new system is also capable of over-the-air updates and can be operated entirely using voice commands, although a touch-screen functionality has also been included.

Designed to be quicker and more intuitive, the interface is said to have been completely reconfigured and now can show the sat-nav map in the background.

Key to replacing physical controls is the new steering wheel design that includes proper buttons that provide haptic feedback.

There are more haptic switches for the windscreen wipers, turn signal indicators, exterior mirrors, volume control, gear selectors and window demister.

Finally, reducing driver distraction, Neue Klasse models get a new 3D head-up display that projects information into the driver’s line of sight just above the Panoramic Vision strip.

With all the systems now fully integrated, BMW says the multiple screens can split data to reduce driver distraction, or boost clarity.

The example given is while the head-up display broadcasts navigation directions, the central screen can display a map overview of where you’re going, while the widescreen strip can inform the driver of other relevant information.

Helping BMW reinvent its in-car tech, the German car-maker said it crunched real-world data gathered from its existing fleet of more than 22 million vehicles that analysed how drivers interact with their vehicles to ensure the new system was as user friendly and intuitive as possible.

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